The name Byrnevil reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Byrnevil family lived in Berwickshire. The name refers to the family's former place of residence, Burneville, in the Eure region of Normandy. After arriving in England with the Norman invasion in 1066, the family gave their name to the area over which they held lordship.

Early Origins of the Byrnevil family

The surname Byrnevil was first found in Berwickshire where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Byrnevil family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Byrnevil research.Another 235 words (17 lines of text) covering the years 1069, 1150, 1190, and 1333 are included under the topic Early Byrnevil History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Byrnevil Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Byrnevil family name include Burnville, Burnfield, Burneville, Burnefield, Bournville and many more.

Early Notables of the Byrnevil family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Byrnevil Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Byrnevil family to the New World and Oceana

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Byrnevil family to immigrate North America: Frederick Brownville who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1840; Elizabeth Brownfeild settled in Georgia in 1737; Joe Brownfield settled in Georgia in 1735 with his wife.